A storage cluster, any networked storage system, or networked computing devices can be connected to multiple clients through multiple virtual local area networks (VLANs). Network packets arriving from multiple clients can be distributed across storage nodes of the storage cluster through load-balancing, to avoid bottlenecking that would occur if all packets were delivered to just one of the storage nodes. To switch packets from one subnetwork to another subnetwork when forwarded from a load balancer, TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) Layer 3 forwarding translates packets from different VLANs to a single subnet and a single VLAN, i.e., from a client-associated VLAN external to the storage cluster to a VLAN internal to the storage cluster. However, a blade or storage node that receives a request from a client cannot route a reply directly back to the client, since the storage cluster appears as an end host system, not as a router or gateway that would forward a reply packet from the VLAN internal to the storage cluster to the appropriate external VLAN. It is within this context that the embodiments arise.